Underwater repairs using resin-impregnated, fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) are plagued with poor performance due to entrapped water and poor contact pressure during the curing. This invention will overcome the defective bond performance while increasing reliability and efficiency, and decreasing the cost of satisfactory repairs.
Current methods for installing fiber reinforced polymers underwater rely on the pressure exerted by a plastic shrink film that is wound tightly round the repair. Recent tests showed that the bond achieved between the FRP and the substrate using this method could be exceedingly poor. This is in part because the resin shrinks as it cures and the original pressure reduces over time. Further, trapped water between the repair material and the pile along with the wave action of the open water marine environment contributed to the unsatisfactory bond.